Radial widths, optical depths, and eccentricities of the Uranian rings
Abstract
Observations of the stellar occultation by the Uranian rings of 15/16 August 1980 are used to estimate radial widths and normal optical depths for segments of rings 6, 5, 4, alpha, beta, eta, gamma, and delta. Synthetic occultation profiles are generated to match the observed light curves. A review of published data confirms the existence of width-radius relations for rings alpha and beta, and indicates that the optical depths of these two rings vary inversely with their radial widths. Masses are obtained for rings alpha and beta, on the assumption that differential precession is prevented by their self-gravity. A quantitative comparison of seven epsilon-ring occultation profiles obtained over a period of 3.4 yr reveals a consistent structure, which may reflect the presence of unresolved gaps and subrings.
- Publication:
-
The Astronomical Journal
- Pub Date:
- February 1982
- DOI:
- 10.1086/113117
- Bibcode:
- 1982AJ.....87..433N
- Keywords:
-
- Light Curve;
- Optical Thickness;
- Radii;
- Stellar Occultation;
- Telescopes;
- Uranus Rings;
- Astronomical Models;
- Eccentricity;
- Planetary Gravitation;
- URANUS;
- RINGS;
- OPTICAL PROPERTIES;
- DEPTH;
- WIDTH;
- OCCULTATIONS;
- MASS;
- OBSERVATIONS;
- LIGHT CURVE;
- COMPARISONS;
- FEATURES;
- PROPERTIES;
- MODELS;
- STRUCTURE;
- SHAPE;
- DATA;
- GEOMETRY;
- COORDINATES;
- INTENSITY;
- PARAMETERS;
- EPSILON RING;
- SIMULATIONS;
- ECCENTRICITIES;
- RING 4;
- RING 5;
- RING 6;
- ALPHA RING;
- BETA RING;
- DIFFRACTION;
- Astronomy; Uranus